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Never Demean the Erring, September 18
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good
things.
Matthew 12:35
.
Never treat those with whom you work as unfaithful unless you have
unmistakable evidence that they are unfaithful. And even when a worker’s
unfaithfulness is clearly proved, you are not to deal with him in a manner that
will give him excuse for saying, “You were harsh.” You are to do nothing that
will provoke the erring to anger. Do not bear down on believers or unbelievers
in a way that arouses the worst feelings of the heart. Do not make charges that
may be cruelly unjust. By such a course, you may drive souls to perdition....
In your work you are to reveal the sympathy of Christ. Your words are to
be an expression of His sympathy. You are to speak the language of Canaan.
You are no more of the world. You have come out from the world, and you
are to be separate from its methods and practices. In word and action you are
to reveal God’s purposes of love. You are always to treat your fellow workers
with respect....
He who is serving in Christ’s stead is only doing his duty when he mani-
fests to all connected with him the graces of the Spirit of God. Not a word
of scolding or anger is to be heard, because such words dishonor Christ and
reproach the name of Christian. It is a part of the duty of the one who is in
service as a director to learn how to control himself.
The Lord Jesus has chosen human beings as His instruments. They are to
carry out His purposes. His death on the cross of Calvary was the climax of
His humiliation. His work as a redeemer is beyond finite conception. Only
those who have died to self, whose lives are hid with Christ in God, can have
any conception of the completeness of the offering made to save the fallen
race.
In the daily life we are to follow Christ’s example. Then into the religious
life will come the peace that passes understanding. We are not to engage in
any employment or enterprise to gain the praise or honor of men. We are not
to speak one word or do one action that will lower in the minds of others the
ideal they have of the One who died a death of shame on the cross that He
might purchase the privilege of saving His enemies.—
Letter 196, September
18, 1901
, to an administrator at the St. Helena Sanitarium.
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